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Home Health A to Z Hand pain
Wrist pain
There are many causes of wrist pain. You can often ease the pain yourself. But see a GP if the pain does not improve.
How you can ease wrist pain yourself
If you see a GP about pain in your wrist, they'll usually suggest you try these things:
Do
rest your wrist when you can
put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) in a towel and place it on your wrist for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
keep your hands and wrists moving with gentle exercises to help ease pain and stiffness
take paracetamol to ease the pain
take off any jewellery if your hand looks swollen
stop or cut down activities that are causing the pain – for example, typing, using vibrating tools for work, or playing an instrument
wear a splint to support your wrist and ease pain, especially at night – you can get these at most pharmacies and supermarkets
think about using gadgets or tools to make difficult or painful tasks easier – for example, to open jars or chop vegetables
think about getting a soft pad to support your wrist when typing
Don’t
do not use ibuprofen in the first 48 hours after an injury
do not use heat packs or have hot baths for the first 2 to 3 days after an injury
do not lift heavy objects or grip anything too tightly
A pharmacist can help with wrist pain
You can ask a pharmacist about:
the best painkiller to take
the best splint to support your wrist and ease pain – flexible rubber splints are available if you still need to use your wrist
if you need to see a GP
Find a pharmacy
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
pain in your wrist is stopping you doing normal activities
the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your hand or wrist
you have diabetes – hand problems can be more serious if you have diabetes
you have wrist pain and also feel unwell with a high temperature
your wrist is painful, warm, swollen and stiff
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Immediate action required:
Go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E if you:
have severe wrist pain
feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain
heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of the injury
are not able to move your wrist or hold things
have a wrist that's changed shape or colour
have lost the feeling in part or all of your hand
These might be signs of a broken wrist.
Find an urgent treatment centre
What we mean by severe pain
Common causes of wrist pain
Wrist pain is often caused by bruising or injuring your wrist.
Your symptoms might also give you an idea of what's causing the pain in your wrist.
Common causes of wrist pain.
Symptoms Possible cause
Pain, swelling and bruising, difficult to move wrist or grip anything Sprained wrist
Pain, swelling and stiffness at the base of the thumb (near the wrist) that lasts a long time, may be hard to move fingers and thumb, may have a lump Tendonitis (de Quervain's disease) or arthritis
Aching pain that's worse at night, tingling, numbness or pins and needles in the fingers, hand or arm, a weak thumb or difficulty gripping Carpal tunnel syndrome
Smooth lump on top of the wrist, may be painful Ganglion cyst
Sudden, sharp wrist pain, swelling, a popping or snapping sound during the injury Broken wrist
Information:
Do not worry if you're not sure what the problem is.
Follow the advice on this page and see a GP if the pain does not get better in 2 weeks.
More in Hand pain
Wrist pain
Finger pain
Thumb pain
Pain in the palm of the hand
Pain in the back of the hand
Page last reviewed: 8 March 2022
Next review due: 8 March 2025
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